Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Rarotonga Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Rarotonga

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,279 in Tbilisi versus $1,139 in Rarotonga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,011 in Tbilisi versus $1,617 in Rarotonga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,743 in Tbilisi versus $2,096 in Rarotonga.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 12% more expensive than in Rarotonga, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 7% lower, Rarotonga 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.43 ₾29.72

$14.77 NZ$25.39

-22.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.16 ₾99.2

$52.7 NZ$90.7

-27.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.40 ₾24.45

$5.76 NZ$9.91

63.19%

Cappuccino

$3.38 ₾8.78

$3.44 NZ$5.91

-1.74%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 ₾2.70

$2.30 NZ$3.95

-54.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 ₾1.56

$2.28 NZ$3.93

-73.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 ₾7.05

$5.28 NZ$9.07

-48.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ₾7.90

$5.31 NZ$9.13

-42.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 ₾5.90

$2.85 NZ$4.90

-20.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 ₾2.04

$3.03 NZ$5.20

-73.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ₾4.21

Eggs

$2.74 ₾7.13

$6.25 NZ$10.74

-56.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.30 ₾24.19

$7.74 NZ$13.31

20.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.79 ₾17.65

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.01 ₾33.84

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.27

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 ₾4.77

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 ₾4.94

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 ₾6.68

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 ₾2.19

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₾3.54

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₾2.07

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 ₾8.85

$11.92 NZ$20.49

-71.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.67 ₾19.94

$11.73 NZ$20.17

-34.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₾4.36

$3.46 NZ$5.95

-51.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.18

$5.40 NZ$9.29

-55.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 ₾1.02

$2.92 NZ$5.02

-86.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.55 ₾40.44

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.96

$20.77 NZ$35.72

-94.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 ₾1.93

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.32 ₾29.42

$35.89 NZ$61.7

-68.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 ₾3.60

$1.80 NZ$3.09

-23.33%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$24.6K ₾63.9K

$11.7K NZ$20.2K

109.42%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$22.0K ₾57.2K

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$88.7 ₾231

$103 NZ$176

-13.52%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.18 ₾34.26

$49.34 NZ$84.8

-73.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.68 ₾51.2

$108 NZ$186

-81.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 ₾177

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.94 ₾46.65

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 ₾16.70

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$372 ₾967

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K ₾28.1K

$1,417 NZ$2,437

662.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 ₾272

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.83 ₾101

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ₾299

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾318

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$681 ₾1,770

$474 NZ$815

43.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,185

$463 NZ$796

-1.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,312 ₾3,410

$710 NZ$1,221

84.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$892 ₾2,321

$656 NZ$1,129

35.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,391 ₾6,216

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,425 ₾3,704

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$640 ₾1,663

$4,121 NZ$7,085

-84.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Tbilisi: September 5, 2026

Last update for Rarotonga: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $681 in Tbilisi and $474 in Rarotonga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rarotonga pays 544% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $38.00 in Tbilisi vs $53.0 in Rarotonga. Groceries flip the comparison at $236 vs $159, with Rarotonga cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Tbilisi vs Rarotonga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rarotonga wins on cost – living expenses run 12% lower than in Tbilisi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Rarotonga the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 544% lower in Rarotonga. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $681 in Tbilisi versus $474 in Rarotonga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,279 per month in Tbilisi versus $1,139 in Rarotonga – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 49% higher in Tbilisi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,139 in Rarotonga versus $1,279 in Tbilisi, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Rarotonga but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Rarotonga the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Rarotonga delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,139 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Rarotonga hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Rarotonga are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Rarotonga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.